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- Title
Quasi‐Universal Length Scale of River Anabranches.
- Authors
Ragno, Niccolò; Redolfi, Marco; Tubino, Marco
- Abstract
Looping patterns, where channels divide and reconnect further downstream, are widespread in natural rivers. Here, we build an extensive dataset of different gravel‐bed and sand‐bed rivers around the world encompassing a wide range of physiographic and sedimentological conditions. Field data show the existence of quasi‐universal relations for the anabranches length when scaled with bankfull hydraulic geometry variables of the main upstream channel. The dimensionless length is found to be nearly slope‐invariant, identifying a clear difference with respect to deltaic systems. This scaling relationship is explained by interpreting the dynamics of river loops as basically controlled by a two‐way interaction between their constitutive elements, bifurcations and confluences. The identification of a quasi‐universal length scale provides insight on the morphological evolution of multi‐thread networks and constitutes a key information for the design of self‐sustaining river restoration interventions. Plain Language Summary: River loops, where the water course splits into smaller branches that reconnect further downstream, are ubiquitous in natural environments. A deeper understanding of their spatial structure can greatly improve the effectiveness and sustainability of common practices in river restoration, where multiple channels are reactivated to recover the ecological functions of harmed riverine ecosystems. The analysis of many different rivers worldwide shows that the length of river loops is not randomly distributed but follows a characteristic law. In particular, the average length of bifurcating branches is found to be proportional to the hydraulic parameters (width, depth) of the main upstream channel, regardless of the specific climatic or geologic context. This relationship is explained in terms of the key physical mechanisms that control the distribution of water and sediment between the branches. Key Points: River anabranches show a characteristic length set by bankfull hydraulic geometry parameters of the main channelThe anabranches length is unrelated to backwater length, thus marking a clear difference with respect to deltaic systemsField evidence is theoretically explained as the result of morphodynamic interaction between bifurcation and confluence nodes
- Subjects
STREAM restoration; RIVER channels; MEANDERING rivers; WATER distribution; INFORMATION design; BACKWATER
- Publication
Geophysical Research Letters, 2022, Vol 49, Issue 16, p1
- ISSN
0094-8276
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1029/2022GL099928